Love By Any Other Name
by Gryvon
Summary: Kakashi never knew Iruka was in love.


Kakashi is pleasantly buzzed and surrounded by friends. They've been drinking for about three hours when Iruka walks in, accompanied by Naruto and a small swarm of his former students, now comrades after the war. Kakashi's eyes follow Iruka without being obvious, studying the chuunin while seemingly focused on the conversation around him.

Yamato whistles. "Now there's a tough nut to crack."

Kakashi makes a bored sound of inquisition. His attention is on the plump curve of Iruka's rear as he takes a seat.

"Iruka?" Anko says. "You tried? What are you, stupid?"

Yamato pouts. "You can't blame a guy for trying."

Kakashi's visible eye narrows and he glances at Yamato. "What about you and Iruka?"

Yamato shrugs and mumbles into his drink. "I may have tried to hit on him."

Kakashi raises an eyebrow, his face a careful expressionless mask. "And?"

Anko snorts. "And nothing. Everyone knows Iruka's hopelessly in love."

Kakashi blinks. That's news to him and he likes to consider himself a self-proclaimed expert on anything Iruka-related. "Is he, now? Who's the lucky person?"

Yamato sighs. "That's the kicker. No one knows."

Kakashi leans back in his seat, forcing himself to appear relaxed even though he is nothing of the sort. He knows who Iruka's lover is though he hadn't realized until now that Iruka was in love with him. That makes him think. They've had an arrangement for, what – how long has it been? Three years? Five? Ever since Naruto went away, leaving Iruka like a mother cut loose from her child.

Theirs was a good arrangement. They took care of physical needs. There were no attachments, no awkward mornings after, or so Kakashi had thought. Apparently it wasn't so simple for Iruka.

"How long?"

Anko makes an inquisitive sound into her beer bottle.

"How long's he been in love?"

Anko gets a distant, thoughtful look. She shrugs. "Years."

He wants to swear. He doesn't.

They'd insisted on secrecy for safety's sake. What better target than the chuunin lover of the famous copy-nin? But Iruka had proved time and time again that he wasn't that weak and now that the war was over… Now what? Could he really have an open relationship without risking everything?

"You're thinking about it," Yamato says.

"About what?" Kakashi asks.

"Going over there." Yamato nods towards Iruka. "It won't work. He's devoted."

Kakashi stares at him for a moment. He looks at Iruka, happy and smiling with his friends. Kakashi could be with him. He could make Iruka smile like that, for him, at him. He likes it when Iruka smiles.

He makes a decision in that instant and stands. He crosses the room and places his hand on Iruka's shoulder. Iruka looks up at him with surprise, curiosity, and yes, there it is, love. How had he missed it before? How did no one else see it?

He pulls down his mask and kisses Iruka. Their lips meet. His tongue presses forward and Iruka's lips open up for him, easy, the way he always is for Kakashi.

He's distantly aware of the shocked silence of the bar as he pulls away and the retching sounds Naruto is making. Iruka looks dazed and full of wonder.

Kakashi holds out his hand. "Come home with me."

Iruka's hand closes over his, warm and strong. Yes, Kakashi thinks. Iruka can handle being out in the open.

More than a dozen pairs of eyes follow them out of the bar. Iruka waits until they're outside to speak. "Kakashi… are you sure…"

"I love you." He's never said the words before, never in his life, but they feel right on his tongue. Iruka gasps and his hand finds Kakashi's. Kakashi did the right thing.

Kakashi's apartment isn't far, but even for that short distance, it's hard to keep his hands to himself. As soon as the door shuts behind them, Kakashi pushes Iruka back against it and kisses him, deep and passionate. His lips say everything he doesn't have words for, not yet, and Iruka kisses back, just as passionate, just as vocal. Iruka's arms wrap around Kakashi's neck. Kakashi dips, grabs Iruka by the knees, and pulls, forcing Iruka's legs up around Kakashi's waist. Their groins align and Kakashi presses his hardening cock into the crease of Iruka's body.

Iruka's hand moves up to card through Kakashi's hair. He pulls their lips apart and sucks in a deep breath of air. "Kakashi… fuck me… please…"

Kakashi has never needed to be told twice. There's something about Iruka's body that he craves. He's not sure if it's the way they fit together just right or how Iruka seems to melt for him, giving Kakashi everything of himself. Maybe it's neither of those. Maybe it's just love.

He spins, still holding Iruka up and walks them over to the bed where he lowers Iruka slowly. As soon as Iruka is set down, he starts stripping. Kakashi can't help but watch even as he undresses himself. He loves every inch of Iruka's body. He's put his lips to every expanse of flesh, knows the feel of each part under his hand, but this feels like something new, something special, something just for him.

He pulls the lube out from behind the head of the bed and slips two slick fingers into Iruka's willing body. He loves the way Iruka arches up into his touch, as responsive as the first day they'd fucked. Kakashi can't help himself. Iruka's cock is hard and wet and he looks so close, just from the little that Kakashi's done. Kakashi leans down, closing his lips over Iruka's cock and earning him a strangled shout. He knows how to play Iruka's body to full effectiveness, and he does, wrapping one hand around the base of Iruka's cock where his mouth doesn't reach and crooking his fingers inside Iruka's body as he drags them out. He has Iruka coming in seconds and he swallows Iruka's seed down, savoring the taste of it like it's the first time.

When he pulls back, there are tears at the corner of Iruka's eyes. Kakashi runs his hands up Iruka's parted thighs. His cock aches but he promises it soon, soon. "It's okay," Kakashi croons. "I'll take care of you."

His cock finds Iruka's slick hole and he slides in like he belongs there. He does. This is his home now, this perfect heat that makes Iruka gasp and shudder. Kakashi puts his hands under Iruka's knees and lifts, spreading Iruka open as he slowly fucks into him. He doesn't need to go fast, not now that Iruka's already come. Iruka's always hyper-sensitive after he's come the first time and Kakashi's learned to take it slow after, to draw it out and give Iruka maximum pleasure.

Tears roll down Iruka's cheeks and they're the most beautiful thing in the world to Kakashi. Iruka is beautiful like this, spread wide and fucked open, raw and ready for him.

He leans forward, forcing Iruka's hips wider and chases the tears with his tongue. He rolls his hips in short, little thrusts that punch soft sounds out of Iruka, like he's surprised. "Oh. Oh. Oh." Kakashi could make Iruka make other sounds, but he's good with these. There will be time for more soon.

Iruka's hands grip Kakashi's shoulders, blunt nails scratching at his back.

"Kakashi… Kakashi, please… Oh. God. Ah. Ah. Kakashi…"

He could make Iruka beg. Iruka's not above begging. He's done it before, teased Iruka to the brink of release and then kept backing away until he was satisfied with Iruka's begging. That's not for today. No, that's a game they'll play another day.

He shifts his grip on Iruka's knees and brings them up to where Iruka's grabbing at Kakashi's shoulders. "Hold."

Iruka switches his grip to his own knees and holds himself open. Kakashi's hands settle on Iruka's hips, fingers digging in hard enough to leave the kind of marks he knows Iruka loves. Then he goes to town, fucking hard and fast, pounding into Iruka in the way that Iruka loves, that makes him scream Kakashi's name far too loud. Kakashi's glad for the wards on his apartment or his neighbors would be banging on the walls. Instead he gets Iruka like this, wanton and wanting and loud, so loud for him.

It takes little enough time until he's coming with stuttering hips. He bites at Iruka's thigh and then Iruka's coming too, screaming out his release.

Kakashi pulls out and moves to the side so that Iruka can let his legs fall. Iruka is panting and staring up at the ceiling like it's not even there. Kakashi settles on his side next to Iruka, places his hand on Iruka's stomach, and watches as Iruka slowly comes back to himself.

Iruka looks at Kakashi and then away. He starts to sit up, starts to leave Kakashi knows, but Kakashi's hand on his stomach stops him.

"Stay."

Iruka turns to him with wide eyes. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes," Kakashi says. "Stay with me. Always."

The smile the spreads across Iruka's face is blinding. He leans in for a chaste kiss and then settles down, also on his side, facing Kakashi. Their fingers intertwine.

"I love you, Kakashi." Butterflies dance in Kakashi's stomach. He had no idea how good it would be to hear those words from those lips.

"I love you, too."

Iruka shifts closer, places his head in the crook of Kakashi's neck. Kakashi's arms come around Iruka and as he holds him, he thinks he could spend many night like this.

He's looking forward to it.


End file.
